Free Class Guide includes

• Done-for-you notes - The downloadable PDF Class Guide includes a detailed summary of each lesson, so you can just relax and absorb the video.

• Ready-to-use recruiting tools - Get access to one-of-a-kind volunteer recruiting videos and time-saving marketing templates and resources so you can start getting more parent volunteers right away.

I want to help you. Not overload you.

You don’t have to apply all the lessons completely before you start getting more volunteers. Each lesson, applied on its own, will help you see improvement. The more lessons you can apply, the more your efforts will snowball in a positive way.

Click on any lesson link below to start with a short video on a topic that interests you.

Your situation is unique. So feel free to touch base with me so I can help you solve your specific challenges faster and with less stress. You can reach me by email by clicking on the envelope icon link at the bottom of any page. Or message me on Facebook through the School Volunteers Share page.

See you in class!

Class topics

Section 1: Strong volunteer mindset - Creating a feeling of shared responsibility among families for the PTO work that benefits everyone

 Lesson 1: Get ready to succeed

Lesson 1.1: The right mindset for success

Lesson 1.2: Four essential leadership principles

Lesson 2: Ask everyone to do something and appreciate everything

Lesson 2.1: Send a powerful positive message

Lesson 2.2: Volunteer pledges

Lesson 2.3: Volunteer Appreciation Day is every day

Section 2: Volunteer friendly planning - Minimizing the number of volunteer hours you need to succeed and making it easier for more parents to volunteer

Lesson 3: Making it easier for your group to succeed

Lesson 3.1: Reduce the volunteer hours you spend to achieve goals

Lesson 3.2: Work “smarter” to save volunteer hours and stress

Lesson 4: Making it easier for more parents to volunteer

Lesson 4.1: Make Board positions more manageable

Lesson 4.2: Make other leader and helper roles manageable

Section 3: Positive persuasion - Persuading more parents to help

 Lesson 5: Persuading more parents to lead

Lesson 5.1: Ask more parents directly

Lesson 5.2: Brainstorming leadership candidates

Lesson 5.3: What to say to get more Yeses

Lesson 5.4: Answering objections and handling Nos in a positive way

Lesson 6: Persuade more parents to help with events and tasks

Lesson 6.1: Make it easy to say yes and sign up

Lesson 6.2: Motivate parents to take action

What volunteer LEADERs are saying

In case you’re wondering…

About Jen Cosgrove

Hi again - I’m Jen, the school volunteer leader behind this class who wants to help you do even more good for kids, with LESS STRESS.

"How about never?"

If you’d have told me 8 years ago, when I started volunteering during my son’s first year of school, that that someday I’d be teaching a class on getting more parents to help and to LEAD, I wouldn’t have said you were crazy…but I would’ve been thinking it!

Early on, I saw how hard our PTO leaders were working – running the PTO AND chairing multiple committees AND being Room Parents AND sorting fundraising orders AND stuffing flyers into backpacks AND dressing up as the mascot AND so on – on top of the work waiting for them at home and elsewhere -- and how stressed they were.

So I told anyone who asked that I would “NEVER” join the Board. And I meant it!

Two years later I was Secretary and then Co-President. But only after our group took some really smart steps that made it easier for me and other parents to take on all kinds of volunteer opportunities, including leadership roles.

As a PTO leader and board member of our local education foundation, I’ve helped recruit and manage hundreds of volunteers over the years. Volunteers for everything from small tasks to very large events involving 75+ volunteers working over many months and raising tens of thousands of dollars at a time.

Just to be clear… I didn’t figure out the best ways to get more volunteers all by myself.

And you don’t have to either.

I learned what works, and continue to learn every day, from doing -- including making plenty of mistakes -- and listening to other smart, caring volunteers, like you.

I don’t have all the answers, but I know I have some good ones that make getting volunteers for all kinds of jobs – including the Board -- less stressful.

And I’m sharing them in this free class. Click on any lesson link above to get started!

WHY IS THIS CLASS FREE?

Great question! I can offer this training class to you for free because it’s supported by advertising.

Advertising disclosure: I recommend things that I use and love or would recommend to my friends and family without hesitation. When making recommendations, I sometimes use affiliate links. These links don’t add any extra cost to you, and they help support the free content I provide.